MUZAFFARABAD – Authorities have announced two-day closer of schools in Azad Kashmir region due to massive snowfall.
The decision has been made to ensure the safety of both students and teachers. As a result, educational institutions will remain closed on Friday and Saturday (January 23-24). This will create a long weekend for school students, as the two days off will be combined with the regular Sunday holiday. Schools are scheduled to reopen on Monday, January 26.
Azad Kashmir has experienced rainfall in several areas, with intermittent snowfall continuing in higher-altitude regions such as Hattian Bala, Chonari, Chakothi, Leepa Valley, Ganga Choti, Arang Kel, and Sargan Valley. The weather pattern has persisted with breaks in between, bringing colder conditions to the region.
The northern areas of Pakistan have been severely impacted by heavy snowfall, causing significant disruption to daily life.
Several roads in the affected areas have been blocked, stranding tourists and leaving many regions isolated. Tragically, two individuals lost their lives in separate accidents during this extreme weather.
In the northern regions of Balochistan, snowstorms continue, with many vehicles trapped along the Quetta-Ziarat highway. Over 100 tourists are reported to be stranded in the Chaman area. Additionally, traffic on the N-50 highway, including Kan Mehtarzai, Khanozai, and Muslim Bagh, has been severely affected. Due to ice and slippery conditions, both passenger and cargo vehicles are stuck on inter-provincial roads. Nine accidents on the N-50 have left 27 people injured.
In the Tirah Valley, the ongoing rainfall and heavy snowfall have trapped around 100 vehicles on the roads, and rescue operations are underway. At the Kojak Top on the Quetta-Karachi highway, Siberian winds have caused the temperature to drop to minus 12°C. Multiple vehicles collided near Shilabagh due to slippery conditions, resulting in two fatalities and seven injuries. Quetta also witnessed its first snowfall of the season.
Meanwhile, in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the upper regions including Mansehra, Galiyat, Shangla, Lower Dir, Mohmand, Kalam, Orakzai, Chitral, and Khyber are also experiencing heavy snowfall. In the Khyber District, nearly 100 vehicles are stranded due to the snowfall in various areas of the Tirah Valley, though 35 individuals have been safely relocated to secure locations.
The snowfall has disrupted electricity services in Shangla, and in Chitral, several access roads have been blocked, making travel difficult. Tourist destinations like Naran and Shogran have also received significant snowfall, with 6 inches recorded in Naran and 1.5 inches in Shogran, attracting many tourists to enjoy the winter scenery.
In Gilgit-Baltistan, the upper regions of Astor have received 2-3 feet of snow, cutting off all land routes and leaving residents confined to their homes. The snowfall in Hunza and Nagar has also caused disruptions, and the earthquake-affected area of Chipursan is facing added challenges as snow continues to fall, worsening the living conditions of people residing in tents.
